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De Bortoli CP, Santos RF, Assirati GJ, Sun X, Hietala L, Jurat-Fuentes JL. Exposure to Cry1 Toxins Increases Long Flight Tendency in Susceptible but Not in Cry1F-Resistant Female Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). INSECTS 2023; 15:7. [PMID: 38249013 PMCID: PMC10815942 DOI: 10.3390/insects15010007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2023] [Revised: 12/15/2023] [Accepted: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 01/23/2024]
Abstract
The fall armyworm (JE Smith) (Spodoptera frugiperda) is a polyphagous pest targeted by selected Cry and Vip3A insecticidal proteins from the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) that are produced in transgenic Bt corn and cotton. Available evidence suggests that sublethal larval exposure to Cry1Ac increases flight activity in adult Spodoptera spp. However, it is not known whether this effect is also observed in survivors from generally lethal exposure to Cry1Ac. Moreover, while multiple cases of field-evolved resistance to Bt proteins have been described in the native range of S. frugiperda, the effect of resistance on flight behavior has not been examined. Long-distance migratory flight capacity of S. frugiperda is of concern given its ongoing global spread and the possibility that migrants may be carrying resistance alleles against pesticides and Bt crops. In this study, we used rotational flight mills to test the effects of generally lethal exposure to Cry1Ac in susceptible and sublethal exposure in Cry1F-resistant S. frugiperda strains. The results detected altered pupal weight after larval feeding on diet containing Cry proteins, which only translated in significantly increased tendency for longer flights in female moths from the susceptible strain. This information has relevant implications when considering current models and assumptions for resistance management of Bt crops.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline P. De Bortoli
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA; (C.P.D.B.); (R.F.S.); (G.J.A.); (L.H.)
| | - Rafael F. Santos
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA; (C.P.D.B.); (R.F.S.); (G.J.A.); (L.H.)
| | - Giordano J. Assirati
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA; (C.P.D.B.); (R.F.S.); (G.J.A.); (L.H.)
| | - Xiaocun Sun
- Research Computing Support, Office of Information Technology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA;
| | - Lucas Hietala
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA; (C.P.D.B.); (R.F.S.); (G.J.A.); (L.H.)
| | - Juan Luis Jurat-Fuentes
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA; (C.P.D.B.); (R.F.S.); (G.J.A.); (L.H.)
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Sappington TW, Spencer JL. Movement Ecology of Adult Western Corn Rootworm: Implications for Management. INSECTS 2023; 14:922. [PMID: 38132596 PMCID: PMC10744206 DOI: 10.3390/insects14120922] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2023] [Revised: 11/23/2023] [Accepted: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
Movement of adult western corn rootworm, Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte, is of fundamental importance to this species' population dynamics, ecology, evolution, and interactions with its environment, including cultivated cornfields. Realistic parameterization of dispersal components of models is needed to predict rates of range expansion, development, and spread of resistance to control measures and improve pest and resistance management strategies. However, a coherent understanding of western corn rootworm movement ecology has remained elusive because of conflicting evidence for both short- and long-distance lifetime dispersal, a type of dilemma observed in many species called Reid's paradox. Attempts to resolve this paradox using population genetic strategies to estimate rates of gene flow over space likewise imply greater dispersal distances than direct observations of short-range movement suggest, a dilemma called Slatkin's paradox. Based on the wide-array of available evidence, we present a conceptual model of adult western corn rootworm movement ecology under the premise it is a partially migratory species. We propose that rootworm populations consist of two behavioral phenotypes, resident and migrant. Both engage in local, appetitive flights, but only the migrant phenotype also makes non-appetitive migratory flights, resulting in observed patterns of bimodal dispersal distances and resolution of Reid's and Slatkin's paradoxes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas W. Sappington
- Corn Insects and Crop Genetics Research Unit, United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Ames, IA 50011, USA
- Department of Plant Pathology, Entomology and Microbiology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA
| | - Joseph L. Spencer
- Illinois Natural History Survey, Prairie Research Institute, University of Illinois, Champaign, IL 61820, USA
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Casey MT, Machtley SA, Merten PV, Hagler JR. A simple computerized Arduino-based control system for insect rotary flight mills. JOURNAL OF INSECT SCIENCE (ONLINE) 2023; 23:5. [PMID: 37428828 PMCID: PMC10332499 DOI: 10.1093/jisesa/iead053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2023] [Revised: 06/11/2023] [Accepted: 06/22/2023] [Indexed: 07/12/2023]
Abstract
Flight mills are widely used to investigate insect flight behavior. As technology advances, the means to build a computerized control system for a flight mill has become more accessible in terms of both price and availability of components. However, the specialized electronics and programming knowledge required to build such a system can still present an obstacle to interested parties. Here, we describe a simple and inexpensive flight mill control system that can be easily assembled and operated without specialized experience. The hardware and software components are built around an Arduino single-board microcontroller, which outputs raw data in the form of timestamped detections of rotations of the flight mill arm. This control system is suitable both as the basis for new flight mills and for replacing outdated computer controls on existing flight mills. Additionally, it can be used with any rotary flight mill design that uses an electronic sensor to count rotations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miles T Casey
- Arid-Land Agricultural Research Center, USDA-ARS, 21881 North Cardon Lane, Maricopa, AZ 85138, USA
| | - Scott A Machtley
- Arid-Land Agricultural Research Center, USDA-ARS, 21881 North Cardon Lane, Maricopa, AZ 85138, USA
| | - Paul V Merten
- Arid-Land Agricultural Research Center, USDA-ARS, 21881 North Cardon Lane, Maricopa, AZ 85138, USA
| | - James R Hagler
- Arid-Land Agricultural Research Center, USDA-ARS, 21881 North Cardon Lane, Maricopa, AZ 85138, USA
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Liu X, Shi J, Ren L, Luo Y. Factors Affecting the Flight Capacity of Two Woodwasp Species, Sirex noctilio F. (Hymenoptera: Siricidae) and Sirex nitobei M. (Hymenoptera: Siricidae). INSECTS 2023; 14:236. [PMID: 36975921 PMCID: PMC10057106 DOI: 10.3390/insects14030236] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2023] [Revised: 02/19/2023] [Accepted: 02/24/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Sirex noctilio F. is an invasive woodwasp that causes pine mortality in plantations in China. Sirex nitobei M. is a native woodwasp in large areas of China. In this study, the flight capacity of the two woodwasps was studied and compared using a tethered-flight mill system to find individual factors affecting the flight capacity. After flight bioassays, woodwasps were dissected to determine nematode infestation. Post-eclosion-day (PED) age significantly influenced the flight capacity of S. noctilio females and males; as woodwasps become older, their flight capacity decreased. For S. nitobei, PED age did not significantly affect their flight capacity. In general, the flight capacity of S. noctilio was greater than that of S. nitobei. Females flew further and for longer than males for both Sirex species. The Deladenus spp. parasitism status of the two Sirex species did not significantly affect their flight performance parameters. PED age and body mass were key individual factors significantly affecting the flight capacity of the two Sirex species. In this study, detailed and accurate tethered-flight parameters of S. noctilio and S. nitobei were obtained. Although this is different from natural flight, it also provides us substantial laboratory data on their flight capacity, and facilitates risk analysis of the two woodwasp species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaobo Liu
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Forest Pest Control, College of Forestry, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Juan Shi
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Forest Pest Control, College of Forestry, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
- IFOPE, Sino-French Joint Laboratory for Invasive Forest Pests in Eurasia, Beijing Forestry University—French National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and Environment (INRAE), Beijing 100083, China
| | - Lili Ren
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Forest Pest Control, College of Forestry, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
- IFOPE, Sino-French Joint Laboratory for Invasive Forest Pests in Eurasia, Beijing Forestry University—French National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and Environment (INRAE), Beijing 100083, China
| | - Youqing Luo
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Forest Pest Control, College of Forestry, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
- IFOPE, Sino-French Joint Laboratory for Invasive Forest Pests in Eurasia, Beijing Forestry University—French National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and Environment (INRAE), Beijing 100083, China
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Cornet C, Noret N, Van Rossum F. Pollinator sharing between reproductively isolated genetic lineages of Silene nutans. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 13:927498. [PMID: 36340351 PMCID: PMC9634645 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.927498] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2022] [Accepted: 09/22/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
High reciprocal pollination specialization leading to pollinator isolation can prevent interspecific pollen transfer and competition for pollinators. Sharing pollinators may induce mating costs, but it may also increase pollination services and pollen dispersal and offer more resources to pollinators, which may be important in case of habitat fragmentation leading to pollination disruption. We estimated pollen dispersal and pollinator isolation or sharing between two reproductively isolated genetic lineages of Silene nutans (Caryophyllaceae), which are rare and occur in parapatry in southern Belgium, forming two edaphic ecotypes. As inter-ecotypic crosses may lead to pollen wastage and inviable progeny, pollinator isolation might have evolved between ecotypes. Silene nutans is mainly pollinated by nocturnal moths, including nursery pollinators, which pollinate and lay their eggs in flowers, and whose caterpillars feed on flowers and seeds. Pollinator assemblages of the two ecotypes are largely unknown and inter-ecotypic pollen flows have never been investigated. Fluorescent powdered dyes were used as pollen analogues to quantify intra- and inter-ecotypic pollen transfers and seeds were germinated to detect chlorotic seedlings resulting from inter-ecotypic pollination. Nocturnal pollinators were observed using infrared cameras on the field, and seed-eating caterpillars were collected and reared to identify nursery pollinator species. No pollinator isolation was found: we detected long-distance (up to 5 km) inter-ecotypic dye transfers and chlorotic seedlings, indicating inter-ecotypic fertilization events. The rare moth Hadena albimacula, a nursery pollinator specialized on S. nutans, was found on both ecotypes, as well as adults visiting flowers (cameras recordings) as seed-eating caterpillars. However, S. nutans populations harbor different abundance and diversity of seed predator communities, including other rare nursery pollinators, suggesting a need for distinct conservation strategies. Our findings demonstrate the efficiency of moths, especially of nursery pollinators, to disperse pollen over long distances in natural landscapes, so to ensure gene flow and population sustainability of the host plant. Seed-predator specificities between the two reproductively isolated genetic lineages of S. nutans, and pollinator sharing instead of pollinator isolation when plants occur in parapatry, suggest that conservation of the host plant is also essential for sustaining (rare) pollinator and seed predator communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camille Cornet
- Laboratoire d’Ecologie végétale et Biogéochimie, Université libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Nausicaa Noret
- Laboratoire d’Ecologie végétale et Biogéochimie, Université libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Fabienne Van Rossum
- Laboratoire d’Ecologie végétale et Biogéochimie, Université libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
- Research Department, Meise Botanic Garden, Meise, Belgium
- Service général de l’Enseignement supérieur et de la Recherche scientifique, Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
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Boyes D, Gibbs M. The genome sequence of the smoky wainscot, Mythimna impura (Hubner, 1808). Wellcome Open Res 2022. [DOI: 10.12688/wellcomeopenres.18104.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
We present a genome assembly from an individual female Mythimna impura (smoky wainscot; Arthropoda; Insecta; Lepidoptera; Noctuidae). The genome sequence is 949 megabases in span. The majority of the assembly (98.39%) is scaffolded into 32 chromosomal pseudomolecules with the W and Z sex chromosomes assembled. The complete mitochondrial genome was also assembled and is 15.3 kilobases in length. Gene annotation of this assembly on Ensembl has identified 15,441 protein coding genes.
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Jahant-Miller C, Miller R, Parry D. Size-dependent flight capacity and propensity in a range-expanding invasive insect. INSECT SCIENCE 2022; 29:879-888. [PMID: 34351047 DOI: 10.1111/1744-7917.12950] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2021] [Revised: 06/28/2021] [Accepted: 07/13/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
For capital-breeding insects, all resources available for adult metabolic needs are accumulated during larval feeding. Therefore, body size at adult eclosion represents the total energetic capacity of the individual. For female capital breeders, body size is strongly correlated with lifetime fecundity, while in males, body size, which correlates with fitness, is less understood. In capital-breeding species with wingless, flightless, or dispersal-limited females, flight potential for male Lepidoptera has important implications for mate-finding and may be correlated with body size. At low population densities, failure to mate has been identified as an important Allee effect and can drive the success or failure of invasive species at range edges and in species of conservation concern. Th capital-breeding European subspecies of Lymantria dispar (L.), was introduced to North America in 1869 and now ranges across much of eastern North America. In L. dispar, females are flightless and mate-finding is entirely performed by males. We quantified male L. dispar flight capacity and propensity relative to morphological and physiological characteristics using fixed-arm flight mills. A range of male body sizes was produced by varying the protein content of standard artificial diets while holding other dietary components constant. Wing length, a proxy for body size, relative thorax mass, and forewing aspect were all important predictors of total flight distance and maximum speed. These results have important implications for mate-finding and invasion dynamics in L. dispar and may apply broadly to other capital-breeding insects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chelsea Jahant-Miller
- Forest Health Protection, U.S. Forest Service, Coeur d'Alene, ID, 83815, USA
- Department of Environmental and Forest Biology, College of Environmental Science and Forestry, State University of New York, Syracuse, NY, 13210, USA
| | - Russell Miller
- School for Environment and Sustainability, Cooperative Institute for Great Lakes Research, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48106, USA
| | - Dylan Parry
- Department of Environmental and Forest Biology, College of Environmental Science and Forestry, State University of New York, Syracuse, NY, 13210, USA
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Boyes D, Holland PW. The genome sequence of the large yellow underwing, Noctua pronuba (Linnaeus, 1758). Wellcome Open Res 2022; 7:119. [PMID: 36874564 PMCID: PMC9975414 DOI: 10.12688/wellcomeopenres.17747.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
We present a genome assembly from an individual female Noctua pronuba (the large yellow underwing; Arthropoda; Insecta; Lepidoptera; Noctuidae). The genome sequence is 529 megabases in span. The complete assembly is scaffolded into 32 chromosomal pseudomolecules, with the W and Z sex chromosome assembled. The mitochondrial genome was also assembled and is 15.3 kilobases in length.
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Affiliation(s)
- Douglas Boyes
- UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Wallingford, Oxfordshire, UK
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Zheng YX, Wang Y, Dai BY, Li Z, Huo QR, Cui JX, Liu H, Li XH, Hughes AC, Zhang AB. Flight Mill Experiments and Computer Simulations Indicate Islands Recruit More Capable Flyers of Moths. Front Ecol Evol 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2021.771719] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding the traits related to species colonization and invasion, is a key question for both pest management and evolution. One of the key components is flight, which has been measured for a number of insect species through radar and tethered flight mill systems, but a general understanding of insect flight at a community level is lacking. In this study, we used flight mill experiments to quantify flight abilities of moth species, and simulation experiments to study which moths in mainland China have the potential for cross-island dispersal. We found that moths from superfamily Geometroidea (family Geometridae) have the weakest flight ability among the seven Lepidoptera superfamilies, which is characterized by the shortest longest single flight (LSF), the shortest time corresponding to the longest single flight (TLSF) (timecorrespondingtothelongestsingleflight), the lowest total distance flown (TDF), and the lowest average speed during the flight (VTDF). Surprisingly, the family Pyralidae (superfamily Pyraloidea) has the highest flight endurance of all 186 species of 12 families in this study, which is unexpected, given its small size and morphological traits yet it shows the longest LSF and TLSF. The comparison between species common to mainland and islands shows that flight distance (LSF) may be more important for species spread than flight speed. The results of mainland-island simulations show that when P(LSF>CD) (the proportion of individuals whose LSF is greater than the closest distance (CD) between mainland and island to the total number of individuals in the population) is less than 0.004, it is difficult for moth species to disperse to across islands without relying on external factors such as airflow. Over extended periods, with the immigration of species with strong flight abilities, islands are more likely to recruit species with stronger flight abilities.
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11
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Straka TM, von der Lippe M, Voigt CC, Gandy M, Kowarik I, Buchholz S. Light pollution impairs urban nocturnal pollinators but less so in areas with high tree cover. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 778:146244. [PMID: 33714820 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.146244] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2020] [Revised: 02/25/2021] [Accepted: 02/27/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The increase in artificial light at night (ALAN) is widely considered as a major driver for the worldwide decline of nocturnal pollinators such as moths. However, the relationship between light and trees as 'islands of shade' within urban areas has not yet been fully understood. Here, we studied (1) the effects of three landscape variables, i.e. sources of ALAN (mercury vapour/LED street lamps; overall light pollution), impervious surfaces (e.g. roads, parking lots and buildings), and tree cover on species richness and abundance of two major macro-moth families (Noctuidae and Geometridae) and (2) the potential mitigating effect of trees on macro-moths attracted to ALAN. We undertook a landscape-scale study on 22 open green areas along an urban-rural gradient within Berlin, Germany, using light traps to collect moths. Macro-moths were identified to species level and GLMMs applied with the three landscape variables at different scales (100 m, 500 m and 1000 m). We found a significant negative effect of mercury vapour street lamps on macro-moth species richness, while impervious surfaces showed significant negative effects on abundance (total and Geometridae). We further found significant positive effects of tree cover density on species richness and abundance (total and Geometridae). Effects of tree cover, however, were mostly driven by one site. LED lamps showed no predictive effects. A negative effect of ALAN (MV lamps and overall light) on macro-moths was most prominent in areas with low tree coverage, indicating a mitigating effect of trees on ALAN. We conclude that mercury vapour street lamps should be replaced by ecologically more neutral ALAN, and that in lit and open areas trees could be planted to mitigate the negative effect of ALAN on nocturnal pollinators. In addition, sources of ALAN should be carefully managed, using movement detection technology and other means to ensure that light is only produced when necessary.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tanja M Straka
- Technische Universität Berlin, Institute of Ecology, Ecosystem Science and Plant Ecology, 12165 Berlin, Germany; Berlin-Brandenburg Institute of Advanced Biodiversity Research (BBIB), 14195 Berlin, Germany.
| | - Moritz von der Lippe
- Technische Universität Berlin, Institute of Ecology, Ecosystem Science and Plant Ecology, 12165 Berlin, Germany; Berlin-Brandenburg Institute of Advanced Biodiversity Research (BBIB), 14195 Berlin, Germany.
| | - Christian C Voigt
- Berlin-Brandenburg Institute of Advanced Biodiversity Research (BBIB), 14195 Berlin, Germany; Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Alfred-Kowalke-Str. 17, 10315 Berlin, Germany.
| | - Matthew Gandy
- University of Cambridge, Department of Geography, Downing Place, Cambridge CB2 3EN, UK.
| | - Ingo Kowarik
- Technische Universität Berlin, Institute of Ecology, Ecosystem Science and Plant Ecology, 12165 Berlin, Germany; Berlin-Brandenburg Institute of Advanced Biodiversity Research (BBIB), 14195 Berlin, Germany.
| | - Sascha Buchholz
- Technische Universität Berlin, Institute of Ecology, Ecosystem Science and Plant Ecology, 12165 Berlin, Germany; Berlin-Brandenburg Institute of Advanced Biodiversity Research (BBIB), 14195 Berlin, Germany.
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Mohammed M, El-Shafie H, Alqahtani N. Design and Validation of Computerized Flight-Testing Systems with Controlled Atmosphere for Studying Flight Behavior of Red Palm Weevil, Rhynchophorus ferrugineus (Olivier). SENSORS 2021; 21:s21062112. [PMID: 33803012 PMCID: PMC8002661 DOI: 10.3390/s21062112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2021] [Revised: 03/06/2021] [Accepted: 03/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Understanding the flight characteristics of insect pests is essential for designing effective strategies and programs for their management. In this study, we designed, constructed, and validated the performance of modern flight-testing systems (flight mill and flight tunnel) for studying the flight behavior of red palm weevil (RPW) Rhynchophorus ferrugineus (Olivier) under a controlled atmosphere. The flight-testing mill consisted of a flight mill, a testing chamber with an automatically controlled microclimate, and a data logging and processing unit. The data logging and processing unit consisted of a USB digital oscilloscope connected with a laptop. We used MATLAB 2020A to implement a graphical user interface (GUI) for real-time sampling and data processing. The flight-testing tunnel was fitted with a horizontal video camera to photograph the insects during flight. The program of Image-Pro plus V 10.0.8 was used for image processing and numerical data analysis to determine weevil tracking. The mean flight speed of RPW was 82.12 ± 8.5 m/min, and the RPW stopped flying at the temperature of 20 °C. The RPW flight speed in the flight tunnel was slightly higher than that on the flight mill. The angular deceleration was 0.797 rad/s2, and the centripetal force was 0.0203 N when a RPW tethered to the end of the rotating arm. The calculated moment of inertia of the RPW mass and the flight mill's rotating components was 9.521 × 10-3 N m2. The minimum thrust force needed to rotate the flight mill was 1.98 × 10-3 N. Therefore, the minimum power required to rotate the flight mill with the mean revolution per min of 58.02 rpm was approximately 2.589 × 10-3 W. The designed flight-testing systems and their applied software proved productive and useful tools in unveiling essential flight characteristics of test insects in the laboratory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maged Mohammed
- Date Palm Research Center of Excellence, King Faisal University, Al-Ahsa 31982, Saudi Arabia; (H.E.-S.); (N.A.)
- Agricultural Engineering Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Menoufia University, Shebin El Koum 32514, Egypt
- Correspondence:
| | - Hamadttu El-Shafie
- Date Palm Research Center of Excellence, King Faisal University, Al-Ahsa 31982, Saudi Arabia; (H.E.-S.); (N.A.)
- Department of Crop Protection, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Khartoum, Shambat 13314, Sudan
| | - Nashi Alqahtani
- Date Palm Research Center of Excellence, King Faisal University, Al-Ahsa 31982, Saudi Arabia; (H.E.-S.); (N.A.)
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Jyothi P, Aralimarad P, Wali V, Dave S, Bheemanna M, Ashoka J, Shivayogiyappa P, Lim KS, Chapman JW, Sane SP. Evidence for facultative migratory flight behavior in Helicoverpa armigera (Noctuidae: Lepidoptera) in India. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0245665. [PMID: 33481893 PMCID: PMC7822321 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0245665] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2020] [Accepted: 01/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite its deleterious impact on farming and agriculture, the physiology and energetics of insect migration is poorly understood due to our inability to track their individual movements in the field. Many insects, e.g. monarch butterflies, Danaus plexippus (L.), are facultative migrants. Hence, it is important to establish whether specific insect populations in particular areas migrate. The polyphagous insect, Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner), is especially interesting in this regard due to its impact on a variety of crops. Here, we used a laboratory-based flight mill assay to show that Helicoverpa armigera populations clearly demonstrate facultative migration in South India. Based on various flight parameters, we categorized male and female moths as long, medium or short distance fliers. A significant proportion of moths exhibited long-distance flight behavior covering more than 10 km in a single night, averaging about 8 flight hours constituting 61% flight time in the test period. The maximum and average flight speeds of these long fliers were greater than in the other categories. Flight activity across sexes also varied; male moths exhibited better performance than female moths. Wing morphometric parameters including forewing length, wing loading, and wing aspect ratio were key in influencing long-distance flight. Whereas forewing length positively correlated with flight distance and duration, wing loading was negatively correlated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patil Jyothi
- Department of Agricultural Entomology, University of Agricultural Sciences, Raichur, Karnataka, India
| | - Prabhuraj Aralimarad
- Department of Agricultural Entomology, University of Agricultural Sciences, Raichur, Karnataka, India
- * E-mail:
| | - Vijaya Wali
- Department of Agricultural Statistics, University of Agricultural Sciences, Raichur, Karnataka, India
| | - Shivansh Dave
- National Centre for Biological Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, GKVK campus, Bengaluru, India
| | - M. Bheemanna
- Department of Agricultural Entomology, University of Agricultural Sciences, Raichur, Karnataka, India
| | - J. Ashoka
- Department of Agricultural Entomology, University of Agricultural Sciences, Raichur, Karnataka, India
| | - Patil Shivayogiyappa
- Department of Agricultural Entomology, University of Agricultural Sciences, Raichur, Karnataka, India
| | - Ka S. Lim
- Department of Agro-Ecology, Rothamsted Research, Harpenden, Hertfordshire, United Kingdom
| | - Jason W. Chapman
- Centre of Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn, Cornwall, United Kingdom
- Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Sanjay P. Sane
- National Centre for Biological Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, GKVK campus, Bengaluru, India
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Kerr JT. Racing against change: understanding dispersal and persistence to improve species' conservation prospects. Proc Biol Sci 2020; 287:20202061. [PMID: 33234075 PMCID: PMC7739496 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2020.2061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Climate change is contributing to the widespread redistribution, and increasingly the loss, of species. Geographical range shifts among many species were detected rapidly after predictions of the potential importance of climate change were specified 35 years ago: species are shifting their ranges towards the poles and often to higher elevations in mountainous areas. Early tests of these predictions were largely qualitative, though extraordinarily rapid and broadly based, and statistical tests distinguishing between climate change and other global change drivers provided quantitative evidence that climate change had already begun to cause species’ geographical ranges to shift. I review two mechanisms enabling this process, namely development of approaches for accounting for dispersal that contributes to range expansion, and identification of factors that alter persistence and lead to range loss. Dispersal in the context of range expansion depends on an array of processes, like population growth rates in novel environments, rates of individual species movements to new locations, and how quickly areas of climatically tolerable habitat shift. These factors can be tied together in well-understood mathematical frameworks or modelled statistically, leading to better prediction of extinction risk as climate changes. Yet, species' increasing exposures to novel climate conditions can exceed their tolerances and raise the likelihood of local extinction and consequent range losses. Such losses are the consequence of processes acting on individuals, driven by factors, such as the growing frequency and severity of extreme weather, that contribute local extinction risks for populations and species. Many mechanisms can govern how species respond to climate change, and rapid progress in global change research creates many opportunities to inform policy and improve conservation outcomes in the early stages of the sixth mass extinction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeremy T Kerr
- Department of Biology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1N 6N5
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15
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Faiman R, Yaro AS, Diallo M, Dao A, Djibril S, Sanogo ZL, Sullivan M, Krishna A, Krajacich BJ, Lehmann T. Quantifying flight aptitude variation in wild Anopheles gambiae in order to identify long-distance migrants. Malar J 2020; 19:263. [PMID: 32698842 PMCID: PMC7374819 DOI: 10.1186/s12936-020-03333-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2020] [Accepted: 07/10/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Background In the West African Sahel, mosquito reproduction is halted during the 5–7 month-long dry season, due to the absence of surface waters required for larval development. However, recent studies have suggested that both Anopheles gambiae sensu stricto (s.s.) and Anopheles arabiensis repopulate this region via migration from distant locations where larval sites are perennial. Anopheles coluzzii engages in more regional migration, presumably within the Sahel, following shifting resources correlating with the ever-changing patterns of Sahelian rainfall. Understanding mosquito migration is key to controlling malaria—a disease that continues to claim more than 400,000 lives annually, especially those of African children. Using tethered flight data of wild mosquitoes, the distribution of flight parameters were evaluated as indicators of long-range migrants versus appetitive flyers, and the species specific seasonal differences and gonotrophic states compared between two flight activity modalities. Morphometrical differences were evaluated in the wings of mosquitoes exhibiting high flight activity (HFA) vs. low flight activity (LFA). Methods A novel tethered-flight assay was used to characterize flight in the three primary malaria vectors- An. arabiensis, An. coluzzii and An. gambiae s.s. The flights of tethered wild mosquitoes were audio-recorded from 21:00 h to 05:00 h in the following morning and three flight aptitude indices were examined: total flight duration, longest flight bout, and the number of flight bouts during the assay. Results The distributions of all flight indices were strongly skewed to the right, indicating that the population consisted of a majority of low-flight activity (LFA) mosquitoes and a minority of high-flight activity (HFA) mosquitoes. The median total flight was 586 s and the maximum value was 16,110 s (~ 4.5 h). In accordance with recent results, flight aptitude peaked in the wet season, and was higher in gravid females than in non-blood-fed females. Flight aptitude was also found to be higher in An. coluzzii compared to An. arabiensis, with intermediate values in An. gambiae s.s., but displaying no statistical difference. Evaluating differences in wing size and shape between LFA individuals and HFA ones, the wing size of HFA An. coluzzii was larger than that of LFAs during the wet season—its length was wider than predicted by allometry alone, indicating a change in wing shape. No statistically significant differences were found in the wing size/shape of An. gambiae s.s. or An. arabiensis. Conclusions The partial agreement between the tethered flight results and recent results based on aerial sampling of these species suggest a degree of discrimination between appetitive flyers and long-distance migrants although identifying HFAs as long-distance migrants is not recommended without further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roy Faiman
- Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergies and Infectious Diseases, The National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD, USA.
| | - Alpha S Yaro
- Malaria Research and Training Center, Faculty of Medicine, Pharmacy and Odonto-Stomatology, Bamako, Mali
| | - Moussa Diallo
- Malaria Research and Training Center, Faculty of Medicine, Pharmacy and Odonto-Stomatology, Bamako, Mali
| | - Adama Dao
- Malaria Research and Training Center, Faculty of Medicine, Pharmacy and Odonto-Stomatology, Bamako, Mali
| | - Samake Djibril
- Malaria Research and Training Center, Faculty of Medicine, Pharmacy and Odonto-Stomatology, Bamako, Mali
| | - Zana L Sanogo
- Malaria Research and Training Center, Faculty of Medicine, Pharmacy and Odonto-Stomatology, Bamako, Mali
| | - Margery Sullivan
- Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergies and Infectious Diseases, The National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Asha Krishna
- Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergies and Infectious Diseases, The National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Benjamin J Krajacich
- Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergies and Infectious Diseases, The National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Tovi Lehmann
- Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergies and Infectious Diseases, The National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD, USA
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16
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Silva Barros L, Takao Yamamoto P, Merten P, Naranjo SE. Sublethal Effects of Diamide Insecticides on Development and Flight Performance of Chloridea virescens (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae): Implications for Bt Soybean Refuge Area Management. INSECTS 2020; 11:insects11050269. [PMID: 32354195 PMCID: PMC7290381 DOI: 10.3390/insects11050269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2020] [Revised: 04/20/2020] [Accepted: 04/24/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
High-dose and refuge are the most important strategies for delaying resistance evolution in Bt crops. Insecticide sprays in refuge areas could be necessary and may limit refuge effectiveness. Here, we evaluated the sublethal effects of two diamide insecticides (chlorantraniliprole and flubendiamide) on Chloridea virescens life history traits and flight performance. Sublethal concentrations of chlorantraniliprole and flubendiamide increased larval and pre-pupal development times and decreased larval weight; flubendiamide increased pupal development times. Chlorantraniliprole increased adult male longevity and reduced female fertility, while flubendiamide reduced fecundity. Overall life table parameters were negatively impacted by both treatments. Males exposed to either insecticide showed significant reductions in flight duration and distance for unsustained flights (<30 min). The duration and distance of the first flights were reduced when exposed to chlorantraniliprole. Sustained flights (>30 min) were generally unaffected by insecticide exposure and both sexes flew >6400 m in a single flight. The sublethal effects of flubendiamide and chlorantraniliprole on C. virescens' population dynamics could lead to generation asynchrony and provide insufficient susceptible moths when sprayed on refuge crops. However, the distance and duration of flight may still be sufficient to ensure mixing of potentially resistant and susceptible populations from refuge plots.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucas Silva Barros
- Department of Entomology and Acarology, Luiz de Queiroz College of Agriculture (ESALQ), University of São Paulo (USP), Av. Pádua Dias 11, Piracicaba, São Paulo 13418-900, Brazil;
- Correspondence:
| | - Pedro Takao Yamamoto
- Department of Entomology and Acarology, Luiz de Queiroz College of Agriculture (ESALQ), University of São Paulo (USP), Av. Pádua Dias 11, Piracicaba, São Paulo 13418-900, Brazil;
| | - Paul Merten
- USDA-ARS, Arid-Land Agricultural Research Center, 21881 North Cardon Lane, Maricopa, AZ 85138, USA; (P.M.); (S.E.N.)
| | - Steve E. Naranjo
- USDA-ARS, Arid-Land Agricultural Research Center, 21881 North Cardon Lane, Maricopa, AZ 85138, USA; (P.M.); (S.E.N.)
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Naino Jika AK, Le Ru B, Capdevielle-Dulac C, Chardonnet F, Silvain JF, Kaiser L, Dupas S. Population genetics of the Mediterranean corn borer (Sesamia nonagrioides) differs between wild and cultivated plants. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0230434. [PMID: 32191750 PMCID: PMC7081988 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0230434] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2019] [Accepted: 03/01/2020] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The population genetic structure of crop pest populations gives information about their spatial ecology, which helps in designing management strategies. In this paper, we investigated the genetic structure of the Mediterranean Corn Borer (MCB), Sesamia nonagrioides Lefèbvre (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), one of the most important maize pests in the Mediterranean countries, using microsatellite markers for the first time in this species. Insects were collected in twenty-five locations in southwest and southeast France from cultivated and wild host plants (Zea mays, Sorghum halepense and Typha domingensis). Contrary to what has been reported so far in France, we found that MCB populations could be locally abundant on wild poales plants. Analysis was carried out at 11 polymorphic microsatellite markers. Molecular variance was significantly determined by geography, then by host plant, with 17% and 4%, respectively, when considered as a major effect, and with 14% and 1%, respectively, when considered as a marginal effect in permutational analysis. Multidimensional scaling (MDS) and GENELAND Bayesian clustering suggested that populations infecting wild plants (T. domingensis and S. halepense) were more structured locally than those affecting cultivated maize. In S. halepense, significant Isolation By Distance (IBD) indicated that this factor could explain genetic differentiation of the moth populations. In T. domingensis, local population differentiation was strong but did not depend on distance. The implication of this absence of population structure in maize and the heterogeneity of population genetics patterns in wild plants are discussed in the context of the population dynamics hypothesis and population management strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdel Kader Naino Jika
- Laboratoire Evolution, Génomes, Comportement et Ecologie, UMR CNRS, IRD & Université Paris-Sud Orsay, Gif-sur-Yvette cedex, France
- * E-mail:
| | - B. Le Ru
- Laboratoire Evolution, Génomes, Comportement et Ecologie, UMR CNRS, IRD & Université Paris-Sud Orsay, Gif-sur-Yvette cedex, France
- ICIPE- African Insect Science for Food and Health, Kasarani, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - C. Capdevielle-Dulac
- Laboratoire Evolution, Génomes, Comportement et Ecologie, UMR CNRS, IRD & Université Paris-Sud Orsay, Gif-sur-Yvette cedex, France
| | - F. Chardonnet
- Laboratoire Evolution, Génomes, Comportement et Ecologie, UMR CNRS, IRD & Université Paris-Sud Orsay, Gif-sur-Yvette cedex, France
| | - J. F. Silvain
- Laboratoire Evolution, Génomes, Comportement et Ecologie, UMR CNRS, IRD & Université Paris-Sud Orsay, Gif-sur-Yvette cedex, France
| | - L. Kaiser
- Laboratoire Evolution, Génomes, Comportement et Ecologie, UMR CNRS, IRD & Université Paris-Sud Orsay, Gif-sur-Yvette cedex, France
| | - S. Dupas
- Laboratoire Evolution, Génomes, Comportement et Ecologie, UMR CNRS, IRD & Université Paris-Sud Orsay, Gif-sur-Yvette cedex, France
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18
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Dällenbach LJ, Glauser A, Lim KS, Chapman JW, Menz MHM. Higher flight activity in the offspring of migrants compared to residents in a migratory insect. Proc Biol Sci 2019; 285:rspb.2017.2829. [PMID: 29925611 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2017.2829] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2017] [Accepted: 05/30/2018] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Migration has evolved among many animal taxa and migratory species are found across all major lineages. Insects are the most abundant and diverse terrestrial migrants, with trillions of animals migrating annually. Partial migration, where populations consist of resident and migratory individuals, is ubiquitous among many taxa. However, the underlying mechanisms are relatively poorly understood and may be driven by physiological, behavioural or genetic variation within populations. We investigated the differences in migratory tendency between migratory and resident phenotypes of the hoverfly, Episyrphus balteatus, using tethered flight mills. Further, to test whether migratory flight behaviour is heritable and to disentangle the effects of environment during development, we compared the flight behaviour of laboratory-reared offspring of migrating, overwintering and summer animals. Offspring of migrants initiated more flights than those of resident individuals. Interestingly, there were no differences among wild-caught phenotypes with regard to number of flights or total flight duration. Low activity in field-collected migrants might be explained by an energy-conserving state that migrants enter into when under laboratory conditions, or a lack of suitable environmental cues for triggering migration. Our results strongly suggest that flight behaviour is heritable and that genetic factors influence migratory tendency in E. balteatus These findings support the growing evidence that genetic factors play a role in partial migration and warrant careful further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura J Dällenbach
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, Bern 3012, Switzerland
| | - Alexandra Glauser
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, Bern 3012, Switzerland
| | - Ka S Lim
- Computational and Analytical Science, Rothamsted Research, Harpenden AL5 2JQ, UK
| | - Jason W Chapman
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, and Environment and Sustainability Institute, University of Exeter, Penryn TR10 9EZ, UK.,College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, People's Republic of China
| | - Myles H M Menz
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, Bern 3012, Switzerland .,School of Biological Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Crawley 6009, Western Australia, Australia
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19
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Macgregor CJ, Pocock MJO, Fox R, Evans DM. Effects of street lighting technologies on the success and quality of pollination in a nocturnally pollinated plant. Ecosphere 2019. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.2550] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Callum J. Macgregor
- School of Natural and Environmental Sciences Newcastle University Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU UK
- Centre for Ecology and Hydrology Maclean Building, Benson Lane, Crowmarsh Gifford Wallingford Oxfordshire OX10 8BB UK
- Butterfly Conservation Manor Yard, East Lulworth Wareham Dorset BH20 5QP UK
- School of Biological, Biomedical and Environmental Sciences University of Hull Cottingham Road Hull HU6 7RX UK
| | - Michael J. O. Pocock
- Centre for Ecology and Hydrology Maclean Building, Benson Lane, Crowmarsh Gifford Wallingford Oxfordshire OX10 8BB UK
| | - Richard Fox
- Butterfly Conservation Manor Yard, East Lulworth Wareham Dorset BH20 5QP UK
| | - Darren M. Evans
- School of Natural and Environmental Sciences Newcastle University Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU UK
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20
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Minter M, Pearson A, Lim KS, Wilson K, Chapman JW, Jones CM. The tethered flight technique as a tool for studying life-history strategies associated with migration in insects. ECOLOGICAL ENTOMOLOGY 2018; 43:397-411. [PMID: 30046219 PMCID: PMC6055614 DOI: 10.1111/een.12521] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2017] [Revised: 02/26/2018] [Accepted: 02/27/2018] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
1. Every year billions of insects engage in long-distance, seasonal mass migrations which have major consequences for agriculture, ecosystem services and insect-vectored diseases. Tracking this movement in the field is difficult, with mass migrations often occurring at high altitudes and over large spatial scales. 2. As such, tethered flight provides a valuable tool for studying the flight behaviour of insects, giving insights into flight propensity (e.g. distance, duration and velocity) and orientation under controlled laboratory settings. By experimentally manipulating a variety of environmental and physiological traits, numerous studies have used this technology to study the flight behaviour of migratory insects ranging in size from aphids to butterflies. Advances in functional genomics promise to extend this to the identification of genetic factors associated with flight. Tethered flight techniques have been used to study migratory flight characteristics in insects for more than 50 years, but have never been reviewed. 3. This study summarises the key findings of this technology, which has been employed in studies of species from six Orders. By providing detailed descriptions of the tethered flight systems, the present study also aims to further the understanding of how tethered flight studies support field observations, the situations under which the technology is useful and how it might be used in future studies. 4. The aim is to contextualise the available tethered flight studies within the broader knowledge of insect migration and to describe the significant contribution these systems have made to the literature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa Minter
- Department of BiologyUniversity of York, Heslington WayYorkU.K.
- Biointeractions and Crop Protection, Rothamsted ResearchHertfordshireU.K.
| | - Aislinn Pearson
- Computational and Analytical Sciences, Rothamsted ResearchHertfordshireU.K.
| | - Ka S. Lim
- Computational and Analytical Sciences, Rothamsted ResearchHertfordshireU.K.
| | - Kenneth Wilson
- Lancaster Environment CentreLancaster UniversityLancasterU.K.
| | - Jason W. Chapman
- Centre for Ecology and ConservationUniversity of ExeterCornwallU.K.
| | - Christopher M. Jones
- Biointeractions and Crop Protection, Rothamsted ResearchHertfordshireU.K.
- Vector Biology, Liverpool School of Tropical MedicineLiverpoolU.K.
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21
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Sauvard D, Imbault V, Darrouzet É. Flight capacities of yellow-legged hornet (Vespa velutina nigrithorax, Hymenoptera: Vespidae) workers from an invasive population in Europe. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0198597. [PMID: 29883467 PMCID: PMC5993251 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0198597] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2017] [Accepted: 05/22/2018] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The invasive yellow-legged hornet, Vespa velutina nigrithorax Lepeletier, 1836 (Hymenoptera: Vespidae), is native to Southeast Asia. It was first detected in France (in the southwest) in 2005. It has since expanded throughout Europe and has caused significant harm to honeybee populations. We must better characterize the hornet’s flight capacity to understand the species’ success and develop improved control strategies. Here, we carried out a study in which we quantified the flight capacities of V. velutina workers using computerized flight mills. We observed that workers were able to spend around 40% of the daily 7-hour flight tests flying. On average, they flew 10km to 30km during each flight test, although there was a large amount of variation. Workers sampled in early summer had lower flight capacities than workers sampled later in the season. Flight capacity decreased as workers aged. However, in the field, workers probably often die before this decrease becomes significant. During each flight test, workers performed several continuous flight phases of variable length that were separated by rest phases. Based on the length of those continuous flight phases and certain key assumptions, we estimated that V. velutina colony foraging radius is at least 700 m (half that in early summer); however, some workers are able to forage much farther. While these laboratory findings remain to be confirmed by field studies, our results can nonetheless help inform V. velutina biology and control efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Sauvard
- Institut national de la recherche agronomique, UR 633, Zoologie forestière, 2163 avenue de la pomme de pin, CS 40001 Ardon, 45075 Orléans cedex 2, France
| | - Vanessa Imbault
- Institut national de la recherche agronomique, UR 633, Zoologie forestière, 2163 avenue de la pomme de pin, CS 40001 Ardon, 45075 Orléans cedex 2, France
| | - Éric Darrouzet
- Institut de recherche sur la biologie de l'insecte, UMR CNRS 7261, Université François Rabelais, Faculté des Sciences, Parc de Grandmont, 37200 Tours, France
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22
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Genome-Wide Characterization of DNA Methylation in an Invasive Lepidopteran Pest, the Cotton Bollworm Helicoverpa armigera. G3-GENES GENOMES GENETICS 2018; 8:779-787. [PMID: 29298815 PMCID: PMC5844299 DOI: 10.1534/g3.117.1112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
The genes and genomes of insect pests are shaped by the wide array of selective forces encountered in their environments. While the molecular adaptations that evolve are beginning to be understood at the genomic and transcriptomic level, they have been less well characterized at an epigenetic level. Here, we present a genome-wide map of DNA methylation at single-nucleotide resolution for the cotton bollworm moth, Helicoverpa armigera, a globally invasive pest of agriculture. We show that methylation is almost identical in the larvae and adults of H. armigera and that, through whole-genome bisulfite sequencing (WGBS), at the most ∼0.9% of CpG sites in this species are methylated. We find that DNA methylation occurs primarily in exons, is positively correlated with gene expression, and that methylated genes are enriched for cellular "housekeeping" roles. H. armigera has an exceptional capacity for long-range migration. To explore the role of methylation in influencing the migratory phenotype of H. armigera, we performed targeted bisulfite sequencing on selected loci from 16 genes that were differentially expressed between adult moths exhibiting distinct flight performance in behavioral assays. While most CpG sites in these genes were not methylated between flight phenotypes, we identified hypermethylation in a demethylase (KDM4) that targets lysine-specific histone modifications, which are strongly associated with transcription and methylation. The H. armigera methylome provides new insights into the role of DNA methylation in a noctuid moth and is a valuable resource for further research into the epigenetic control of adaptive traits in this important pest.
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van Langevelde F, Braamburg-Annegarn M, Huigens ME, Groendijk R, Poitevin O, van Deijk JR, Ellis WN, van Grunsven RHA, de Vos R, Vos RA, Franzén M, WallisDeVries MF. Declines in moth populations stress the need for conserving dark nights. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2018; 24:925-932. [PMID: 29215778 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.14008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2017] [Revised: 08/25/2017] [Accepted: 11/06/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Given the global continuous rise, artificial light at night is often considered a driving force behind moth population declines. Although negative effects on individuals have been shown, there is no evidence for effects on population sizes to date. Therefore, we compared population trends of Dutch macromoth fauna over the period 1985-2015 between moth species that differ in phototaxis and adult circadian rhythm. We found that moth species that show positive phototaxis or are nocturnally active have stronger negative population trends than species that are not attracted to light or are diurnal species. Our results indicate that artificial light at night is an important factor in explaining declines in moth populations in regions with high artificial night sky brightness. Our study supports efforts to reduce the impacts of artificial light at night by promoting lamps that do not attract insects and reduce overall levels of illumination in rural areas to reverse declines of moth populations.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Marijke Braamburg-Annegarn
- Resource Ecology Group, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands
- De Vlinderstichting/Dutch Butterfly Conservation, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Martinus E Huigens
- De Vlinderstichting/Dutch Butterfly Conservation, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Rob Groendijk
- De Vlinderstichting/Dutch Butterfly Conservation, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Olivier Poitevin
- De Vlinderstichting/Dutch Butterfly Conservation, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Jurriën R van Deijk
- De Vlinderstichting/Dutch Butterfly Conservation, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Willem N Ellis
- Working Group Lepidoptera Faunistics, Section Entomology, Zoological Museum, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Roy H A van Grunsven
- De Vlinderstichting/Dutch Butterfly Conservation, Wageningen, The Netherlands
- Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, Berlin, Germany
- Plant Ecology and Nature Conservation Group, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Rob de Vos
- Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Rutger A Vos
- Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Markus Franzén
- Department of Community Ecology, UFZ Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, Halle, Germany
- Center for Ecology and Evolution in Microbial Model Systems, Department of Biology and Environmental Science, Linnaeus University, Kalmar, Sweden
| | - Michiel F WallisDeVries
- De Vlinderstichting/Dutch Butterfly Conservation, Wageningen, The Netherlands
- Plant Ecology and Nature Conservation Group, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands
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Determining the migration duration of rice leaf folder (Cnaphalocrocis medinalis (Guenée)) moths using a trajectory analytical approach. Sci Rep 2017; 7:39853. [PMID: 28051132 PMCID: PMC5209671 DOI: 10.1038/srep39853] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2016] [Accepted: 11/29/2016] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Many moths finish their long distance migration after consecutive nights, but little is known about migration duration and distance. This information is key to predicting migration pathways and understanding their evolution. Tethered flight experiments have shown that ovarian development of rice leaf folder (Cnaphalocrocis medinalis [Guenée]) moths was accelerated and synchronized by flight in the first three nights, whereby most females were then matured for mating and reproduction. Thus, it was supposed that this moth might fly three nights to complete its migration. To test this hypothesis, 9 year’s field data for C. medinalis was collected from Nanning, Guangxi Autonomous Region in China. Forward trajectories indicated that most moths arrived at suitable breeding areas after three nights’ flight. Thus, for C. medinalis this migration duration and distance was a reasonable adaptation to the geographic distribution of suitable habitat. The development of female moth ovaries after three consecutive night flights appears to be a well-balanced survival strategy for this species to strike between migration and reproduction benefits. Hence, an optimum solution of migration-reproduction trade-offs in energy allocation evolved in response to the natural selection on migration route and physiological traits.
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Wells T, Wolf S, Nicholls E, Groll H, Lim KS, Clark SJ, Swain J, Osborne JL, Haughton AJ. Flight performance of actively foraging honey bees is reduced by a common pathogen. ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY REPORTS 2016; 8:728-737. [PMID: 27337097 PMCID: PMC5091639 DOI: 10.1111/1758-2229.12434] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2016] [Accepted: 06/07/2016] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Sudden and severe declines in honey bee (Apis mellifera) colony health in the US and Europe have been attributed, in part, to emergent microbial pathogens, however, the mechanisms behind the impact are unclear. Using roundabout flight mills, we measured the flight distance and duration of actively foraging, healthy-looking honey bees sampled from standard colonies, before quantifying the level of infection by Nosema ceranae and Deformed Wing Virus complex (DWV) for each bee. Neither the presence nor the quantity of N. ceranae were at low, natural levels of infection had any effect on flight distance or duration, but presence of DWV reduced flight distance by two thirds and duration by one half. Quantity of DWV was shown to have a significant, but weakly positive relation with flight distance and duration, however, the low amount of variation that was accounted for suggests further investigation by dose-response assays is required. We conclude that widespread, naturally occurring levels of infection by DWV weaken the flight ability of honey bees and high levels of within-colony prevalence are likely to reduce efficiency and increase the cost of resource acquisition. Predictions of implications of pathogens on colony health and function should take account of sublethal effects on flight performance.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Stephan Wolf
- Rothamsted ResearchHarpendenUK
- Present address: School of Biological and Chemical SciencesQueen Mary University of LondonLondonUK
| | - Elizabeth Nicholls
- Rothamsted ResearchHarpendenUK
- Present address: School of Life SciencesUniversity of SussexBrightonUK
| | - Helga Groll
- Rothamsted ResearchHarpendenUK
- Present address: PPD, Granta Park, Great AbingtonCambridgeUK
| | | | | | | | - Juliet L. Osborne
- Rothamsted ResearchHarpendenUK
- Present address: Environment and Sustainability InstituteUniversity of ExeterPenrynUK
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Degen T, Mitesser O, Perkin EK, Weiß NS, Oehlert M, Mattig E, Hölker F. Street lighting: sex-independent impacts on moth movement. J Anim Ecol 2016; 85:1352-60. [PMID: 27146262 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.12540] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2015] [Accepted: 04/10/2016] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Artificial lights have become an integral and welcome part of our urban and peri-urban environments. However, recent research has highlighted the potentially negative ecological consequences of ubiquitous artificial light. In particular, insects, especially moths, are expected to be negatively impacted by the presence of artificial lights. Previous research with light traps has shown a male-biased attraction to light in moths. In this study, we sought to determine whether street lights could limit moth dispersal and whether there was any sex bias in attraction to light. More specifically, we aimed to determine sex-specific attraction radii for moths to street lights. We tested these hypotheses by collecting moths for 2 years at an experimental set-up. To estimate the attraction radii, we developed a Markov model and related it to the acquired data. Utilizing multinomial statistics, we found that attraction rates to lights in the middle of the matrix were substantially lower than predicted by the null hypothesis of equal attraction level (0·44 times). With the Markov model, we estimated that a corner light was 2·77 times more attractive than a wing light with an equivalentre attraction radius of c. 23 m around each light. We found neither sexual differences in the attraction rate nor in the attraction radius of males and females. Since we captured three times more males than females, we conclude that sex ratios are representative of operational sex ratios or of different flight activities. These results provide evidence for street lights to limit moth dispersal, and that they seem to act equally on male and female moths. Consequently, public lighting might divide a suitable landscape into many small habitats. Therefore, it is reasonable to assume (i) that public lighting near hedges and bushes or field margins reduces the quality of these important habitat structures and (ii) that public lighting may affect moth movement between patches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tobias Degen
- Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, Mäggelseedamm 310, 12587, Berlin, Germany.,Institute of Biology, Freie Universität Berlin, Schwendenerstr. 1, 14195, Berlin, Germany
| | - Oliver Mitesser
- Theoretical Evolutionary Ecology, Department of Animal Ecology and Tropical Biology, Biocenter, Emil-Fischer-Str. 32, 97074, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Elizabeth K Perkin
- Biology Department, Willamette University, 900 State Street, Salem, OR 97301, USA
| | - Nina-Sophie Weiß
- Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, Mäggelseedamm 310, 12587, Berlin, Germany
| | - Martin Oehlert
- Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, Mäggelseedamm 310, 12587, Berlin, Germany
| | - Emily Mattig
- Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, Mäggelseedamm 310, 12587, Berlin, Germany
| | - Franz Hölker
- Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, Mäggelseedamm 310, 12587, Berlin, Germany
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